About Texas Mandarin (Transform Your Knowledge Into Speaking)
You know Chinese, but speaking still feels hard?
Texas Mandarin is slow, clear, real-life Mandarin for HSK 4–6 adults. Listen, shadow, and turn "I know Chinese" into "I can speak Chinese."
Host: Rita Zhang, Mandarin coach in Plano, TX · online worldwide
For 1-on-1 lessons: WeChat: 65315260 · WhatsApp: +1 214-675-6565
Book a free 15-min Clarity Call: texasmandarin.com
🏈 Caught in a Lie
Jake says he’s watching football with Mike. But Mike is already sitting beside Emma…in New York.
Practice 若无其事, 心虚, and 本来以为……没想到…… through a story about one very bad alibi.
🎧 Listen · Repeat · Speak
Selected story passages: English → Pinyin → Chinese.
Say each chunk smoothly, then connect the chunks.
📖 你和谁看橄榄球比赛？
Emma and Jake are dating. Mike is Jake’s best friend and Emma’s coworker. Emma and Mike travel to New York for work. Jake has no idea Mike is there.
Jake casually says, “Of course I’m at home!”
Jake | ruò wú qí shì de shuō | “Dāngrán zài jiā a!”
Jake | 若无其事地说 | “当然在家啊！”
Emma hears loud music and someone shouting for another beer.
“What did you do today?”
Nǐ jīntiān | dōu gànmá le?
你今天 | 都干嘛了？
“Watched football at home.” “With whom?” “Mike.”
Zài jiā | kàn gǎnlǎnqiú bǐsài bei. | Gēn shéi? | Gēn Mike a.
在家 | 看橄榄球比赛呗。| 跟谁？| 跟Mike啊。
Yesterday? Mike again. Last weekend? Still Mike!
The more Jake talks, the more casual he sounds, as if he doesn’t feel guilty at all.
Jake | yuè shuō | yuè ruò wú qí shì | hǎoxiàng | yìdiǎn dōu bù xīnxū.
Jake | 越说 | 越若无其事 | 好像 | 一点都不心虚。
Emma turns left. Mike is right beside her.
Mike casually says, “Hi, Jake! New York’s pizza really is delicious!”
Mike | ruò wú qí shì de shuō | “Hāi, Jake! | Niǔyuē de pizza | quèshí hǎochī!”
Mike | 若无其事地说 | “嗨，Jake！| 纽约的pizza | 确实好吃！”
There are ten full seconds of silence. You can hear the guilt.
Diànhuà nà tóu | zhěngzhěng chénmò le shí miǎo | yì tīng jiù shì xīnxū le.
电话那头 | 整整沉默了十秒 | 一听就是心虚了。
Jake thought he’d covered everything perfectly. He never expected to be exposed so quickly.
Jake | běnlái yǐwéi | zìjǐ mán de tiān yī wú fèng | méi xiǎngdào | zhème kuài jiù bèi chāichuān le.
Jake | 本来以为 | 自己瞒得天衣无缝 | 没想到 | 这么快就被拆穿了。
Guiltily, he says, “Fine… I went drinking at a bar today.”
Tā | xīnxū de shuō | “Hǎo ba hǎo ba… | Wǒ jīntiān | qù jiǔbā hē jiǔ le.”
他 | 心虚地说 | “好吧好吧…… | 我今天 | 去酒吧喝酒了。”
“With whom?!” “…Lisa.”
Gēn shéi?! | …Gēn Lisa.
跟谁？！| ……跟Lisa。
Mike’s smile freezes. Lisa is HIS girlfriend! He grabs the phone and demands, “Last weekend? Last week?!”
Mike thought his friend was just telling a little lie. He never expected to be the one being cheated on.
Mike | běnlái yǐwéi | zhǐ shì xiōngdì sā ge xiǎo huǎng | méi xiǎngdào | bèi lǜ de jìngrán shì zìjǐ.
Mike | 本来以为 | 只是兄弟撒个小谎 | 没想到 | 被绿的竟然是自己。
Jake feels increasingly guilty. His voice becomes almost inaudible.
Jake | yuè lái yuè xīnxū | shēngyīn xiǎo de | jīhū tīng bu jiàn.
Jake | 越来越心虚 | 声音小得 | 几乎听不见。
“…We went last week too. The beer there is pretty good…”
…Shàng ge xīngqī | yě qù le. | Jiǔbā de píjiǔ | tǐng hǎohē de…
……上个星期 | 也去了。| 酒吧的啤酒 | 挺好喝的……
Mike hangs up and casually orders two beers with Emma.
Mike | zhíjiē guà le diànhuà | hé Emma | ruò wú qí shì de | diǎn le liǎng bēi píjiǔ.
Mike | 直接挂了电话 | 和Emma | 若无其事地 | 点了两杯啤酒。
Emma thought this business trip would be boring. She never expected so much drama.
Emma | běnlái yǐwéi | zhè tàng chūchāi huì hěn wúliáo | méi xiǎngdào | zhème jīngcǎi.
Emma | 本来以为 | 这趟出差会很无聊 | 没想到 | 这么精彩。
Yesterday, Jake still had a girlfriend and a best friend. Today, all he has left is…football.
Zuótiān | Jake hái yǒu nǚpéngyou | hái yǒu zuì hǎo de xiōngdì | jīntiān | tā zhǐ shèngxià…gǎnlǎnqiú.
昨天 | Jake还有女朋友 | 还有最好的兄弟 | 今天 | 他只剩下……橄榄球。
💡 Target expressions
若无其事 ruò wú qí shì — as if nothing happened
心虚 xīnxū — feeling guilty; afraid of being found out
本来以为……没想到…… — thought…never expected…
In the original story:
若无其事 ×4 · 心虚 ×4 · 本来以为……没想到…… ×3
💬 Your turn
Jake says nothing happened. Does lying about going out with your friend’s girlfriend count as cheating?
Tell your own unexpected story using 本来以为……没想到…….
🌐 One-to-one Mandarin coaching:
https://texasmandarin.com (https://texasmandarin.com)
Texas Mandarin
11 Nov 2026
Beginner Mandarin TPRS Story | Who Were You Watching Football With?
🏈 Who Were You Watching Football With?
Jake says he’s at home watching football with Mike. There’s just one problem: Mike is in New York…with Emma.
A beginner TPRS story with English narration, repeated Mandarin phrases, and a twist.
🎧 Listen · Repeat · Speak
Practice the chunks between the bars, then connect them.
📖 The story
Emma’s boyfriend is Jake. His best friend, Mike, is also Emma’s coworker. This week, Emma and Mike travel to New York for work. Jake doesn’t know Mike is there.
On Sunday night, Emma calls Jake.
Emma: “Are you at home?”
Nǐ | zài jiā?
你 | 在家？
Jake: “I’m at home!”
Wǒ | zài jiā!
我 | 在家！
But Emma hears loud music and someone calling for another beer.
Emma: “What did you do today?”
Nǐ | jīntiān | zuò le shénme?
你 | 今天 | 做了什么？
Jake: “Today I watched football at home.”
Wǒ | jīntiān | zài jiā | kàn gǎnlǎnqiú bǐsài.
我 | 今天 | 在家 | 看橄榄球比赛。
Emma: “With whom?”
Hé shéi?
和谁？
Jake: “With Mike.”
Hé Mike.
和Mike。
Emma: “What did you do yesterday?”
Nǐ | zuótiān | zuò le shénme?
你 | 昨天 | 做了什么？
Jake: “Yesterday I also watched football at home with Mike.”
Wǒ | zuótiān | yě | hé Mike | zài jiā | kàn gǎnlǎnqiú bǐsài.
我 | 昨天 | 也 | 和Mike | 在家 | 看橄榄球比赛。
Emma: “What did you do last weekend?”
Nǐ | shàng ge zhōumò | zuò le shénme?
你 | 上个周末 | 做了什么？
Jake: “Last weekend, with Mike too! The beer was good, and the pizza was delicious!”
Shàng ge zhōumò | yě | hé Mike! Píjiǔ | hěn hǎohē | pizza | hěn hǎochī!
上个周末 | 也 | 和Mike！啤酒 | 很好喝 | pizza | 很好吃！
Emma looks to her left. Mike is sitting beside her in New York!
Mike: “Hi, Jake! The pizza in New York is delicious!”
Hi, Jake! | New York de | pizza | hěn hǎochī!
Hi，Jake！| New York的 | pizza | 很好吃！
Jake goes quiet for ten seconds.
Jake: “OK, OK… I went to a bar to drink today.”
OK, OK… | Wǒ | jīntiān | qù jiǔbā hē jiǔ le.
OK，OK…… | 我 | 今天 | 去酒吧喝酒了。
Emma: “With whom?!”
Hé shéi?!
和谁？！
Jake: “…With Lisa.”
…Hé Lisa.
……和Lisa。
Mike stops smiling. Lisa is HIS girlfriend! He takes Emma’s phone.
Mike: “Lisa?! You went drinking with Lisa?! Last weekend? Last week?!”
Lisa?! | Nǐ | hé Lisa | qù jiǔbā hē jiǔ?! | Shàng ge zhōumò? | Shàng ge xīngqī?!
Lisa？！| 你 | 和Lisa | 去酒吧喝酒？！| 上个周末？| 上个星期？！
Jake: “…Last week, we went drinking too. The beer at the bar was really good…”
…Shàng ge xīngqī | yě | qù jiǔbā hē jiǔ le. Jiǔbā de | píjiǔ | hěn hǎohē…
……上个星期 | 也 | 去酒吧喝酒了。酒吧的 | 啤酒 | 很好喝……
Mike hangs up. He and Emma order two beers.
The beer is good. The pizza is delicious.
Píjiǔ | hěn hǎohē | pizza | hěn hǎochī.
啤酒 | 很好喝 | pizza | 很好吃。
Yesterday, Jake had a girlfriend and a best friend.
Today, Jake only has…football.
💡 Useful chunks
今天 jīntiān — today
昨天 zuótiān — yesterday
上个星期 shàng ge xīngqī — last week
上个周末 shàng ge zhōumò — last weekend
在家 zài jiā — at home
和谁 hé shéi — with whom
看橄榄球比赛 kàn gǎnlǎnqiú bǐsài — watch a football game
去酒吧喝酒 qù jiǔbā hē jiǔ — go to a bar to drink
好吃 hǎochī — tasty: food
好喝 hǎohē — tasty: drinks
✨ Your turn
你昨天做了什么？
你上个周末做了什么？
你和谁看橄榄球比赛？
Answer with your own details. Say the time, who you were with, and what you did.
💬 Discussion
Jake says, “We only drank beer and watched football!”
Is secretly going drinking with your best friend’s girlfriend cheating?
🌐 One-to-one Mandarin coaching:
https://texasmandarin.com (https://texasmandarin.com)
Texas Mandarin
🧸 Buying Happiness? | HSK 5–6
Why buy a little toy instead of a luxury bag? Practice talking about value, identity, and emotional spending.
🎧 Listen · Repeat · Speak
Follow the bars. Say each chunk smoothly, then connect your ideas.
Luxury sales are down, but that doesn’t mean everyone has stopped spending.
Shēchǐpǐn mài de méi nàme hǎo le | dàn zhè yě bù dàibiǎo | dàjiā dōu bù huā qián le.
奢侈品卖得没那么好了 | 但这也不代表 | 大家都不花钱了。
It depends on who’s buying and what they’re buying.
Hái děi kàn | shì shéi zài mǎi | mǎi de shì shénme.
还得看 | 是谁在买 | 买的是什么。
People used to pay for big logos to show they had made it.
Yǐqián hěn duō rén zàiyì de shì miànzi | yuànyì wèi dàpái logo mǎidān | gàosu biérén | “Wǒ hùn de búcuò.”
以前很多人在意的是面子 | 愿意为大牌logo买单 | 告诉别人 | “我混得不错。”
Rather than disliking famous brands, young people don’t want to pay for others’ approval.
Yǔqí shuō | niánqīngrén bù xǐhuan míngpái | bùrú shuō | tāmen bù xiǎng wèi biérén de yǎnguāng mǎidān.
与其说 | 年轻人不喜欢名牌 | 不如说 | 他们不想为别人的眼光买单。
They care about value for money. Price is one thing; whether it’s worth it is another.
Tāmen tèbié zàiyì xìngjiàbǐ | guì bu guì shì yì huí shì | zhí bu zhí shì lìng yì huí shì.
他们特别在意性价比 | 贵不贵是一回事 | 值不值是另一回事。
On the surface, they’re comparing prices. What matters is whether the product deserves its price tag.
Biǎomiàn shàng | shì zài bǐ jiàgé | qíshí tāmen gèng zàiyì de shì | zhè dōngxi pèi bu pèi zhè ge jià.
表面上 | 是在比价格 | 其实他们更在意的是 | 这东西配不配这个价。
That doesn’t mean they’re unwilling to spend. It depends on whether the spending feels worthwhile.
Zhè yě bù dàibiǎo | tāmen shěbude huā qián | hái děi kàn | zhè qián huā de zhí bu zhí.
这也不代表 | 他们舍不得花钱 | 还得看 | 这钱花得值不值。
“Little luxuries” mean spending a little money to treat yourself.
“Xiǎo shēchǐ” | jiù shì huā diǎn xiǎo qián | kàolao yíxià zìjǐ.
“小奢侈” | 就是花点小钱 | 犒劳一下自己。
Labubu and Jellycat are examples. Holding a little toy can feel comforting.
Labubu hé Jellycat | jiù shì hěn diǎnxíng de lìzi | bào zhe yí ge xiǎo wánjù | jiù juéde tèbié zhìyù.
Labubu和Jellycat | 就是很典型的例子 | 抱着一个小玩具 | 就觉得特别治愈。
Rather than just following a trend, people are paying for a feeling.
Yǔqí shuō | dàjiā dōu zài gēnfēng | bùrú shuō | dàjiā mǎi de shì yì zhǒng gǎnjué.
与其说 | 大家都在跟风 | 不如说 | 大家买的是一种感觉。
On the surface, it’s a toy. What matters is the happiness and companionship it brings.
Biǎomiàn shàng | shì zài mǎi yí ge xiǎo wánjù | qíshí dàjiā gèng zàiyì de shì | tā dài lái de kāixīn hé péibàn.
表面上 | 是在买一个小玩具 | 其实大家更在意的是 | 它带来的开心和陪伴。
“I know what I like. I live life my own way.”
Wǒ zhīdào zìjǐ xǐhuan shénme | wǒ àn wǒ zìjǐ de fāngshì guò rìzi.
我知道自己喜欢什么 | 我按我自己的方式过日子。
💡 Reuse these patterns
与其说……不如说…… — Rather than…more accurately…
这也不代表…… — That doesn’t necessarily mean…
还得看…… — It still depends on…
表面上……其实…… — On the surface…in reality…
✨ Your turn
你最近买过什么让自己开心的小东西？
What small purchase has made you happy recently?
你更在意性价比，还是买东西时的感觉？
Do you care more about value for money or the feeling a purchase gives you?
Use two target patterns to tell your own story. 🎙️
🌐 One-to-one Mandarin coaching:
https://texasmandarin.com (https://texasmandarin.com/)
Texas Mandarin
Who has been a guest on Texas Mandarin (Transform Your Knowledge Into Speaking)
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Jonathan Wu
Daniel Oake
Henry
Jordyn
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
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